beosnan



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 O. J. BROSNAN.

MACHINE FOR ATTAGHING BUTTONS.

N0. 335,211,. Patented Feb. 2 ,1 886.

I INVENTOR flan 4% ATTORNEY (No Model.) 0 J BROSNAN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2MACHINE FOR ATTAGHING BUTTONS.

No. 335,211. Patented Feb. 2 ,1886.

WITNES 8 Wu W ATTORN EY (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0. J. BROSNAN.

MAGHINE FOR ATTAOHING BUTTONS.

No. 335,211. Patented Feb. 2 ,1886

WITNESSESI I INVENTOR /K BY 4%; {2 ATTORNEY N4 PETERS. PhMmMhogrzpYwnWaxhingtcn. DC

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORXELIUS J. BROSNAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASS, ASSIGNOR OF T WO-THIRDS TOH. A. GIBBS AND \V. E. \VRIGHT, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,211, dated February2, 1886.

Application filed November 9, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS J. BROSNAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines forAttaching Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for attachingbuttons, and is in the nature of an improvement upon my patent ofOctober 6, 1885, No. 327,917, the object being to provide improved meansfor securing the positive movement of the button and the fastener ortack from their respective chutes into the troughs which lead to theplace on the machine where they are fastened to the material, and toprovide improved tack-clamping mechanism under the anvil.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in combination withthe machine embracing said improvements, improved button and tackfeeding devices, and improved means for holding the button while it isbeing fastened onto the material.

In the drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is aperspective view of the machine, the lower part of the frame and thelower end of the pedal-connecting rod being broken away. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of that part of the frame supporting the anvil andtack-clamps, and of the front end of the button-trough, showing a buttonin position to have the fastening-tack pass through its eye, said tackand the clamp-springs being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the parts referred to in the description of Fig. 2, showingthe front parts of the frame and the button and tack troughs, the upper0 end of one of the clamps being broken away and the clamp-block beingshown partly in section, in order to show the tack plunger or lifter andthe tack in full lines, the latter being in the position when it isabout to enter the eye of the button. In this figure (3) are shown indotted lines the lower end of the button-plunger and the end of itsoperating-arm.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the front end of thebutton-trough; and Fig. 5is a cross-section of the same on line a as, showing the laterallygersare attached, the connection of said car- Scrial No. 182,178. (Nomodel.)

moving button-holder and the end of its spring in full lines. Fig. 6 isan enlarged view of said button'holder in perspective. Fig. 7 is anelevation of a part of that portion of the machine at the lower end ofthe button-chute, Fig. 1, showing the lower end of the latter in dottedlines, a part of the button-plungcr and the button-trough, and thedevices by which the button is transferred from the chute to the latter.Fig. 8 is a view taken transversely on line 00 m, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is anelevation of the rear side of the button-carrying wheel. Fig. 10 is aplan view under the button-trough, showing a part of the frame insection and the carriage to which the button and tack plun- 6- riagewith the rock-shaft, a portion of the arm on the latter to which thefoot-pedal is connected, and of the button-plunger shank, thetaclctrough, the lower end of the tackchute, and the mechanism whichcontrols the movement of the tacks from the chute into the tacktrough.Fig. 11 is a similar view to Fig. 10, but showing said tack-controllingmechanism in a different operative position to that shown in Fig. 10.

The mechanism shown and described in my said patent for moving thebuttons and fasteners to the front end of the machine under the anvil,where they are united on the material, for operating thevertically-moving tack-carrier and the anvil itself, are substantiallythe same as those parts of the machine which are the subject of thisapplication.

The construction and operation of the tack- 8:, reservoir and feedingmechanism J is that L shown and described in my patent dated October 27,1885, No. 329,268, to which reference may be had.

The improvements embodied in the buttonreservoir and feeding mechanism Hform no part of the subject-matter of this application, but theconstruction and operation of said button-feeding mechanism are clearlyset forth in another application for a patent, which is filed by myselfsimultaneously with this, dated November13, 1885, Serial No. 182,700.

In the drawings, A is the frame of the machine, (the lower part thereofbeing broken away,) which is in practice adapted to be attached to asuitable table, under which is hung a treadle, and to the latter theconnecting-rod F is attached, its upper end being pivotally connected tothe arm E on shaft 0. A suitable retracting-spring is attached to saidconnectingrod to draw it downward, and by means of said treadle andspring a rocking motion is given to said shaft, which runs transverselyacross the frame A, the part of the latter in which said shaft has itsbearings being hollow and open at the rear side, to permit of therequisite vibratory motion of arm E.

The button-trough t and the tack-trough h are arranged parallel to eachother, and have operating in them plungers which are givenareciprocating motion, as in said patent, to carry abutton and a tacksimultaneously under the anvil 8, said reciprocating motion of theplungers being imparted thereto by the yoke or carriage d, (see Figs. 1and 10,) the latter being connected by a short connectingrod, 22, withan arm, 21, attached to the rock shaft 0. The lower end of said carriageenters the tack-trough h, and said tack-plunger is attached to said end,substantially as shown in said patent. The button-plunger proper, g, isattached to the carriage d by the shank g. The anvil 8 is fixed in thefront end of the frame A, and is constructed substantially as in saidpatent. The button-trough 2' extends to the front of the anvil, and liesclose by the side of the latter, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and oppositethe anvil in said trough islocated the laterally moving button holder15, (see Fig. 6,) its body of cylindrical form, havinga square head, (orsubstantially S0,) 20, and a wing, 19. Saidbutton-holder is inserted inthe button-trough t in the position shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, and isheld normally in that shown in Fig. 2 by a flat spring, 16, having abifurcated end engaging with the head 20 of the holder, said springbeing secured on the outside of the said trough by a screw, as shown inFig. 4 in dotted lines. The holder has a lateral movement toward andfrom the side of the anvil 8, the spring giving it the former action,and when a button is carried through trough i to the side of the anvilit encounters the curved end 18 of the holder, forcing the latter backagainst the spring, and when the button-plunger retires the latterforces the holder against the button and the latter against the side ofthe anvil, holding it in the position shown in Fig. 3, with its eye in aposition to let the fastener 24 pass through'it, and the latter being bythe carrier 17 forced against the anvil is made to pass through thematerial to which the button is to be attached and to be hooked aroundthe button-eye, as set forth in said patent. The next button that iscarried to the anvil drives the one before attached out of themachine,or from between the said holder and the anvil.

The rear side of the clamp-block 9 is cut away, as shown in-Fig. 3,opposite the endof' the tack-trough h, to allow the fastener 24 to.

pass from the trough into the block to the position shown in Fig. 2,when the carrier 17 is down, the upward movement of the latter carryingthe fastener to the position shown in Fig. 3; and from that to the oneabove described, which completes the fastening.

The tack-clamps 10 10-arepivotedin grooves on each side of theclamp-block 9, as shown, and between the inner side of each clamp andthe adjoining side of the groove in which it is pivoted is secured aflat spring,(shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,)whose upper end engages ina notch inthe clamp. Said springs hold the upper ends of the clamps 10together, and when the tack 24 is forced up between them the latter iscaused to enter between two opposite notches in the clamps, and therebyand by the action of said springs is made to take a proper position, andis so held as not to be easily moved from said position.

l The chute 0 from the tack-feeding devices J is connected to the sideof the tack-trough h, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and the tacks move bygravity down the inclined chute to the side of the trough; but toprevent more than one tack at a ti mefrom entering or partly enteringsaid trough, and to hold back the tacks which are behind the lower oneand to positively place the latter one in said trough, the followingdescribed mechanism is applied to this machine.

I A slide, it, having oblong screw holes through it, as shown, is, byscrews on which it slides, attached to the side ofthe tack-trough h. Avibratory tack separator and mover, 0, is pivoted on the slide at, andhas a vibrating motion in the plane of the tack-trough. One end ofthe-separator is of wedge shape, and on one side, near its opposite end,is a laterallyextending short arm, againstthe end of which the spring inbears, the latter being attached to slide a, and on the opposite side ofthe separator is a laterally-extending hook, as shown. A rod, 3, isconnected with the rear end of the slide 12, and extends rearwardly,passing through the arm s on the carriage d, as shown in Fig. 10. Rod 2"is provided with two nuts or abutment-blocks, a: 00, between which thearm 8 has a reciprocating motion, whereby the slide a and the separatorthereon are moved toward and from the side of the tacktrough 0, theirmovement toward the latter bein the trough it onto the carrier 17, andby said movement of the carriage the slide n'and the separator aremoved-about to the position shown in Fig. 10, letting the tacks takesubstantially the positions there shown. The reverse rearward movementof carriage d causes slide a to move toward the chute c and the pointedend of the separator to be introduced between the two tacks nearest saidtrough. The hook on the separator then engages with pin 23, causing saidseparator to vibrate and carry its free end against the tack nearest thetrough h, moving it into the latter, as shown in Fig. 11, and holdingback the other tacks. Vhen the slide it and the separator move from thechute c to reassume the positions shown in Fig. 10, the spring m, actingon the afore said short arm on the side of the separator, swings thelatter to said position, the pin 23 by said movement of the slide abeing disengaged from said hook.

In my said patent the buttons move from the chute by gravitation,entering the buttontrough one by one through an opening in the side ofthe latter, said chute being connected directly to said trough. Inpractice it is found that the movement of the buttons by gravitationfrom the chute into the trough is not sufficiently positive to insuresuch a constant supply of buttons at the anvil as is desirable,especiallywhen the buttons must move in a curved chute in order to bringthem into proper position when they enter the buttontrough, whereby theeye of the button,when the latter arrives at the anvil, is extendedunder the latter, as in Fig. 3, and to render the movement of thebuttons positive from the chute 0, which conducts the buttons from thereservoir H into the trough t, the below-described mechanism receivesthe buttons one by one from said chute and deposits them in trough t insaid requisite position.

A wheel-support, D, (shown in Fig. 1 and in enlarged views in Figs. 7and 8,)isattached to the upper side of frame A at the lower end of thechute c, and nearly opposite the said opening in the side of the troughi7, through which the latter is supplied with buttons, the upper part ofsaid support extending over the tack-trough and nearly to the trough Awheel, 1 (shown, respectively, in edge and front elevation in Figs. 7and 8,) is pivoted on the side of support D opposite the end of thebutton-chute 0, the position of the end of the latter relative to thewheel being shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 7, the end of said chutebeing attached to the center pivot, 28, of the said wheel, or in such aposition as to bring the channel in the chute to correspond with theslots 3 in the periphery of the wheel. The rear side of wheel y has aseries of wide ratchet-teeth, (one to each space between slots 3,) 6, onits rear side, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, and between said slots pins 2are inserted in the periphery of the wheel. The slots 3 serve to receivethe eye of the button, as shown. The wheel rotates in the direction ofthe arrow on Fig. 8.

Apawl-carrier, f, having oblong screw holes orslotsthrough it, issecured on the upper end of the support D by screws passing through saidslots to allow said carrier to have a reciprocating sliding motion onthe support. The rear end of carrier f is inclined to its direction ofmotion, as shown, and a spring, 7, secured between it and frame A,servesto move it toward the latter. Two posts, 5, one bc hind the other inFig. 8, depend from the under side of carrier f, and in the one nearestthe vertical side of the support D is pivoted the pawl 4, against therear end of which the free end of the spring o (which is attached to theend of the carrier) bears, serving to swing the pawl to the positionshown in Fig. 8, the end of the latter lifting slightly as the pawlretires after having moved against one of teeth 6 to rotate wheel Astop-arm, w, is pivoted to the lower part of support D, and has avibratory motion caused by the movement of one of pins 2 on wheel yagainst its inclined edge near its free end, and the spring z,whiclibears against its opposite edge. Vhen said wheel is rotated, ashereinafter described, and is brought to a proper position to deliver abutton into trough t, the upper end of arm 10 swings under one of pins2, as shown, and the outer one of said posts 5 is brought by the forwardmovement of the carrier f over said pin, thereby preventing said wheelfrom having inadvertently any movement at the instant that itdischargesits button into the trough, whereby the button might fail of properplacement.

A carrier-actuating bar, 0, having a beveled end, as shown in Figs. 1and 7, is attached by one end to the carriage d. and by the latter isgiven a reciprocating motion in adirection at right angles to thecarrier f and opposite its inclined end. A guide-spring, 14, extendsfrom the upper side of trough i (see Fig. 8) over the wheel 3 againstwhich the button is carried when moving toward the trough i,and wherebyit is held steadily in engagement with the wheel until it is depositedin the said trough. A steady-pin, 1.3, is placed in sup port D, overwheel 1, beneath which the button is delivered from chute c, and wherebyit is prevented from being displaced by the crowding against it of thebuttons back of it.

The tack-reservoir J and button-reservoir H are both secured on theshaft K, which has an intermittent rotary motion in suitable bear ingsin the arms B,which are secured to frame A, said motion being given tothe reservoirs by means of ratchet mechanism connected with said shaftand the arm a, (as described in my said patent,) the latter beingconnected to arm 1) on the rock-shaft C by the connecting-rod a. Saidreservoirs operate to separate and deliver therefrom, one by one, tacksand buttons into the chutes c and c, which are placed in each of saidreservoirs in a mass, the operation of each being fully set forth in theabove-named patent of October 27, 1885, and in my said application for apatent. The tacks from the reservoirJ follow the chute 0 directly to theside of trough h,

and are admitted to the latter, as above described. The buttons in likemanner follow the chute c, and from the lower end of the latter arelodged, one by one, by gravitation on the wheel yin the position shownin Fig. 8.

The operator stands in front of the machine, holding the material,leather, or cloth, upon which the button is to be fastened, between theanvil and the clamps 10. When the operative parts are at rest, or beforethe said foottreadleis operated, the button and tack plungers are in arearward position, leaving the troughs free to receive a button and atack in front of the ends of said plungers, and when the latter are insaid position the end of the bar 6 is retired rearwardly, thus havingpermitted spring 7 to slide the carrier f toward trough i, and causingpawl 4 to engage with and rotate wheel 1 and carry the button thereonover and drop it into said trough. The operation of the foot-treadlethen causes said plnngers and the said bar 6 to move forward, the latterstriking the inclined end of carrierf and sliding it to the positionshown in Fig. 8, and the plungers moving said button and tack forwardunder the anvil, as above described,where they are attached to thefabric by the action of the tack-carrier 17, as above described, afterwhich the parts retire to repeat the operations. The wheel 3/ isprevented from rotating by the backward motion of the pawl 4, as its enddrags over the edge of the teeth 6, by the pivoted arm w, which duringsaid motion of the pawl occupies the position under pin 2 of the Wheel.(Shown in Fig. 7.)

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a machine for attaching buttons,the combination, with the button reservoir H and the button-chute 0leading therefrom, of the wheel 1, located at the end of said chute andhaving radial slots in its periphery to engage with the shanks of thebuttons as they escape from said chute, the button-trough z,t0 receivethe buttons from said wheel, and a reciprocating pawl carrier having apawl thereon engaging with said wheel, whereby the latter isintermittently rotated, substantially as setforth.

' 2. The button-carrying Wheel y, provided with ratchet-teeth,substantially as described, and having the pins 2 in its periphery, thepawl-carrier f, having the pawl 4 pivoted thereto, the bar 6, having areciprocating movement at the end of said carrier, the spring 7, and thepivoted stop-arm to, combined and operating substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, the button-reservoir H, the chute c,to convey buttonsfrom the latter, the wheel 1, located at the end of said-chute andhaving radial slots in its periphery to engage with the shanks of thebuttons as they escape from said chute, the button-trough 1;, to receivebuttons from said wheel, the button-plunger g having a reciprocatingmotion in said trough t, and the reciprocating pawlcarrier f,having apawl thereon engaging with said wheel, substantially asset forth.

4. The tack-trough h, the chute 0, connected to the side of the latter,the separator o, having on its opposite edges, substantially asdescribed, a short arm and a hook, and pivoted to the slide a, thespring m, bearing on said arm, the pin 23,fixed in the side of thetrough h in the path ofthe movement of said hook, and means,substantially as described, forimparting a horizontal reciprocatingmovement to said slide,co1nbined and operating substantially as setforth.

5. Thebutton-trough 13, thelaterally-moving button-holder 15, passingthrough said trough opposite the side of the anvil, the spring 16, topress the holder toward the latter, and the anvil 8, combined andoperating substantially as set forth.

CORNELIUS J. BROSNAN.

